Up and Down Wall Street

Mayan Mindset on the Potomac

Politicians know the economy faces an end-of-the-world moment. Their solution: Let's go home for the holidays.

Apocalypse, not just yet. If you're reading this, the Mayans' purported prediction that the world would end on Dec. 21, 2012, failed to come to pass. But, deadlines being what they are, we can't say with assurance at this writing that it hasn't happened. Even with the slight chance this ancient prophecy could turn out to be right, the boss says I still must do my job and produce the results for which I'm paid.

No such stipulation is being imposed upon Congress, however, as our esteemed representatives prepared to make a...